Part 2: Future of Sport is GIRLS

Oct 23, 2024

2 min read

Part Two. Have you been waiting? Sorry. I've been busy gathering my thoughts and finding the "proof". Canadian Women and Sport have been pouring money into researching women and girls in sport. It's time. The demand IS THERE. I've not only done a deep dive but have done some soul searching too... because, where do I fit into this picture of truth and facts now?

Join me down the rabbit hole if you will...

So, here's the thing, when we have volunteers who coach, they rely and draw on their own personal experiences as children in sport. We have men drawing on their male, childhood experiences and replicating that for their daughters. Did you know that boys and girls play sport for different reasons?! Yup. Imagine how helpful that would be for coaches 1. to know and 2. to be trained on how to deliver coaching with a gender lens?

So I did some "re-digging" of all the research I've read before and knew existed... and I want to share it with you! And its RECENT... 2020 and 2022!!

Canadian Women and Sport, with funding from Jumpstart Program released: The Rally Report 2022: A Call For Better, Safer Sport for Girls. https://womenandsport.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Rally-Report-2022-Dec2-1.pdf

Canadian Women and Sport, with funding from Jumpstart Program released: She Belongs: Building Social Connection for Last Sport Participation 2020. https://womenandsport.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/She-Belongs_Canadian-Women-Sport.pdf

What were the findings? The KEY takeaways? Here you go...

4,500 Canadian girls and women, and over 350 women sport leaders, experience sport in 2022
9 out of 10 girls have decreased or halted participation in sport during Covid 19. Since then 1 in 4, returned to sport.
The top two reasons girls aged 7 to 16 choose to play and stay in sport are to make friends and to be part of a team, not to be the best or win.
Less than half of coaches receive training on how to create quality opportunities for girls in sport.
37% of administrators do not consider gender when allocating resources.
1 in 3 girls report that coaches and organizations are not addressing important safety issues within girls’ sport.
The data presents a clear story: girls want sport done differently so they can safely and fully participate and lead in sport.
Sport leaders are not equipped to address the needs of girls.

The message is clear, coach education is key.

I've included a few snap shots taken from these reports... I shared these with a friend of mine who's daughter is dipping her toe in the "team sports" water. Isn't it wonderful to be able to explain to her WHY her daughter may or may not stick with it? Doesn't that help her parent her way through things? Education is key.